(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates both to a fastener device for fastening a panel and in particular a trim panel of a vehicle cabin, and also to an aircraft provided with the device.
(2) Description of Related Art
An aircraft usually includes panels covering the walls of a vehicle cabin. Under such circumstances, such panels are commonly referred to as “trim panels”.
The panels are fastened to the structures defining the vehicle cabin by devices referred to for convenience as “fastener devices”.
A known fastener device includes screw-fastener means. Each panel is then directly screw-fastened to a structure.
Such a screw-fastening fastener device has the advantage of being reliable and inexpensive.
However, that fastener device is by its very nature visible, and that can be detrimental to visual appearance in some aircraft.
In addition, that fastener device may involve tight mounting tolerances, and can therefore lead to difficulties of assembly.
Furthermore, an aircraft may be subjected to vibration. A screw-fastener device has low damping capacity against vibration.
Other fastener devices implement ball-lock pins or pegs and receptacles interposed between the panel and the structure.
Those fastener devices are thus less visible or even invisible, and their mounting tolerances are advantageous.
However, those fastener devices can be expensive, with little capacity for damping vibration.
In addition, an aircraft must comply with certification rules in terms of crashworthiness. Demonstrating that those fastener devices are crashworthy can turn out to be tricky.
Consequently, implementation of a fastener device for fastening a panel on an aircraft leads to specific difficulties in terms of vibration and of crashworthiness in particular. The invention is therefore particularly situated in this technical field.
Under such circumstances, a fastener device for fastening a panel of an aircraft may include at least one of the following advantages: being as invisible as possible; easy to assemble; lightweight; inexpensive; reliable; vibration-damping; and compatible with certification regulations in terms of crashworthiness.
Document US 2002/197107 describes a fastener device for fastening a decorative panel to a motor vehicle. That document therefore does not make reference to the problems specific to an aircraft.
The fastener device is provided with a base connected to a carrier plate. The carrier plate supports fastener means that may be magnetic.
Document WO 2009/108461 relates to a magnetic fastener provided with a support. An annular magnetic assembly carrying a magnet is then engaged about a stud of the support and a magnet.
The support is then fastened to a member for attaching said member to a metal plate via the magnet.
That device is advantageous. However, the arrangement of a trim panel against an aircraft structure may generate positioning constraints such as misalignment of the panel relative to the structure.
In addition, a magnet is likely to be damaged when the magnet comes into “violent” contact with another magnet or with a metal plate. Magnets have relatively little resistance to shock.
A magnet may also be tricky to make crashworthy.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,991 describes a magnetic fastener device for a vehicle roof panel. That fastener device includes magnets incorporated on a periphery of the panel.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,207 describes a magnetic fastener device having two magnets.
Documents GB 1 056 797 A and DE 20 2004 001958 U1 are also known.